The MagicMan and The Blacksmith
by Less-ISReally-More
Summary: Its the time of Kings and Queens, and being a mutant isn't easy. You have to hide or cover it up to live life normally. Thats exactly what Charles and Raven do. And they believe they're the only one's, until Charles meets Erik. M for later chapters.
1. Chapter 1

Erik Lehnsherr made his way through the kingdom, a bag of metallic weapons strung across his back as he made his way along the long winding road towards the tall gray tower that loomed over the entirety of the city. The sun set over the mountains in the distance and set the ground ablaze with red light as his eyes scanned the landscape around him before landing on the structure before him, blacked out on one side from shadow and illuminated yellow and red on the other. He pushed at the door and it opened with little resistance. He glanced around the inside, the room darker than the shadow outside.

"Hello?" He raised a brow, glancing around inside before walking in. He looked to one side and found a door. Upon quick examination he realized it was locked and turned around to find a spiral staircase climbing the walls by the door. He set off up the stairs, the sound of his boots echoing off the walls.

Halfway up the stairs he stopped, blinking for a moment as a voice sounds softly in his head, "I knew you'd be coming..."

He glanced around and noticed that he was the only one in the tower at the moment. He shook his head and dismissed it as voices through the wall. After all, on the other side of the wall WAS the rest of the castle, seeing as this tower was built to accommodate the royal wizard. It had baffled the entire kingdom when the queen had decided to bring in a magic-man and bring him to the castle. She had specifically said when she began her rule she would have none of it. But Erik guessed, what with the shift in relations among neighboring kingdoms, she had decided to go back on her statement to bring in help.

He continued up the stairs and stopped on the top landing, looking around in the dark and finally finding the wooden door leading to the room the wizard has always been found in. Erik pushed the door open with little force and had to shield his eyes from the bright light streaming in through the window, contrasting with the dark of the previous room.

He looked to the window that flooded the room with light, the silhouette of a man casting a long shadow across the floor.

Erik moved the hand from his eyes as they began to adjust to the light. He blinked a few times, the man in front of him starting to come into focus. Dark brunette hair that framed his face and piercing blue eyes. The robes he wore were silver in color, much like a lot of the profession uniforms around the kingdom. "Charles Xavier?" Erik asked, seeing if he had the right person.

"Yes. That would be me." He jumped down from the window and crossed the room to him. "Hello, Erik."

This made him blink in surprise, "How do you know my name?"

Charles gave him a brilliant smile and crossed the room to settle himself on a stool, "I am a magic man, Erik. I can tell a lot about you. Now why don't you tell me why you're here?"

Erik smirked at him playfully, "Shouldn't you know?"

Charles watched him for a long time and smiled, "I suppose I should, shouldn't I? Let me see..." Charles stared intently at him for a long moment before smiling, "You've come to have some weapons enchanted, have you not?"

Erik nodded slowly for a moment before holding the bag of metallic equipment, "A blacksmith coming to a magic-man. I think its common knowledge that I'd be here for that." He spread some of the items on the table, ranging between daggers and axes.

Charles smiled widely and looked them over one by one, examining each one carefully before looking back up at him, "These were very well crafted.. I've never seen anything made this precisely..." He raised a brow, quickly searching through mind to find the answer to such a feat.

Erik watched him closely, his eyes trained on Charles as they seemed to flicker and he had the strange feeling that someone was sifting through his thoughts and memories. He dismissed it and shook his head to get rid of the nagging feeling as he answered, truthfully, "I'm good with metal. That's all."

After a moment, the magic-man gave a gleeful smile, seeing into the depths of his mind and realizing that while the statement was still a truth, it wasn't the whole story, "Is that all? I'm seeing that you have affinity of sorts with metal... Do you mind demonstrating?"

Erik gave him a long look before the black-smith narrowed his eyes and almost snarled, "What are you talking about? I'd need my tools to demonstrate anything."

Charles walked around the table with the metal items spread across it and put one hand to his head and held the other one out towards Erik, "Don't move, I can show you what I mean..."

The feeling of paranoia swept over him once again and signaled a red alarm momentarily before he glared and caught Charles's hand, "Just cast whatever you need to on these so I can GO."

The smaller man looked confused for a moment then sighed and put his hands down, "Yes of course. I apologize." He wandered around the room for a moment, as if searching for something. He glanced back at Erik, a smile gracing his features, "Now, Erik. Not a word. I need complete concentration for this. I have to focus... Ah." He picks up a small bag and smiles, coming back over to Erik and the equipment. He dips his hand inside and pulls out a white powder, kept in the palm of his hand.

Erik raised a brow at him, taking a step back and keeping quiet as he was commanded.

"Great Watcher, enchant these metallic beings! For they must be lead with your guidance!" He threw the power on the equipment, a cloud a white smoke filling the air around them. Charles gave a smile and dusted his hands off on his robes. "There. You're metal weapons are now enchanted."

The black-smith stared at him for a long time before narrowing his eyes at him, "Bull... Shit. That was talcom powder. Is that really all you do, magic-man?"

A knowing smile spread across his face, "You doubt my power then, Erik?"

He crossed his arms, shifting his thickly covered feet to change his stance, "I do. You're a complete liar. You possess no real magic abilities whatsoever. There is no such thing as magic."

Charles narrowed his eyes at the taller man and took a step towards him like before, "Then hold still and let me show you my power. I CAN read your mind, Erik. Just let me try it..."

The metal-worker rolled his eyes and watched him, brows raised, "Alright then. Fine."

The so-called sorcerer approached him slowly, causing Erik to take half a step back as the closeness between them made him uncomfortable. Charles lightly laid his fingers against Erik's temples, shutting his eyes and focusing. He could hear Erik's voice speaking in his own head, "This man is too close. This is ridiculous. Does he not understand personal space?"

Charles smiled and took his hands away, "Yes. I see. You're thinking about how I'm too close to you. Am I making you that nervous?"

Erik snarled slightly at him, continuing to look skeptical, "Oh really? That was obvious. That wasn't magic, it was common sense."

Sighing exaggeratedly, Charles shook his head, some of his loose brown curls swinging around, "Alright then, fine. Think of something completely random. Something I couldn't possibly know."

After another scowl, the blacksmith reluctantly agreed and leaned forward once more into Charles's hands.

Charles took a deep breath, his fingers lightly digging into Erik temples. A long silence stretches across the moment until Charles looks confused, "Erik... What is so special about the northern forest?"

He stared at him for a long time, the older man taken a bit off-guard as he pushed away from him, "Nothing. I just lost a dagger there. Its not important."

Charles looked interested and moved toward him once more, hands at the ready to touch his head, "I could help you find it if you wanted. Why not?"

Erik moved all the items back into his bag and shut it, backing away from him, "No. I'm not letting you touch anymore." He narrowed his eyes at him, daring him to take a step closer.

The magic-man ignored his warning and walked towards him once more, "Please, Erik. I wouldn't hurt you I jus-!" He yelped and stared at his wrists with wide eyes as the rings on his wrist that go with his robes came together and formed into a single band that clung firmly to him and held together his hands, "What...? Erik! What is this?"

The black-smith blinked at him and bolted to the door, flinging it open and running through it. Charles at his heels, sprinting across the platform towards the stairs. Erik twisted just before he got to the stairs, reaching back towards Charles and focusing. The smaller man glanced down as he felt the metal braces around his ankles shift and move together as the rings on his wrists had done. Just before reaching the stairs, Charles fell forward and hurdled to the floor, hitting with a loud thud and looking up to see Erik running down the long stone passageway, "Erik, wait!" He laid on the floor, squirming around and tugging at his limbs.

Charles stayed still for a moment, listening. He winced slightly as he could hear the loud sound of the bottom door shutting and it echoing off the walls of the now empty tower.


	2. Chapter 2

Author's Note: Hey guys! 8D Second Chapter! xDD I'm not sure how I'm gonna post this fic but I'm hoping to figure out a schedule for them. In the mean time, I suppose I should say I'm sorry some things in this are not accurate for this time period. =A= I apologize if that irks any of you. But anyway. xDD I suppose I should also say that I own none of the characters~ Unless I have to put in extra characters that mean nothing. XDDDD But anyway~

Once Charles had hauled himself back into his room, dragging his own body across the floor seeing as his hands and feet weren't working properly because of his restraints, he heard a very familiar sound. It was the soft, but very distinct "Click-clack click-clack" of high heeled, royal shoes making their way up the grand stone staircase just outside the door. He sighed loudly as he could already tell who it would be at this time. His sister.

He jumped up, trying to steady himself on a counter and made his way to his workbench, trying to figure out how to get his embracements off before- "Charles? What are you doing?"

Charles stopped and sighed once more, his muscles tensing once before relaxing as much as they were going to as he turned around to face her, plastering a charming smile on his own face, "Ah. Raven. How are you, dear sister?"

Raven stood before him as the blonde beauty that was the queen, her dress as sparkling and marvelous as the rest of them and her hair fixed just so, exposing her face to the world. She looked very unamused as she crossed her arms and glared at her brother, "What happened to you? What, did you get into a bear trap?"

He shook his head but after a moment smiled again and moved his arms so his sleeves would move up his arms and expose his wrists. "No. But I have found another one of use. Not with our abilities, but with the same potential."

After a moment of staring, looking astonished, Raven underwent a strange transformation. As she stood, her skin began to change from her head to her feet, exchanging silk blonde hair and fair skin to dark red locks and blue scales. She stood before him in her true form, body exposed to the world as she smiled, looking excited, "You really mean it? Someone else like us? What can they do?"

Charles smiled once more and motioned to his wrists, keeping himself upright by leaning against the counter. "He managed to combine the metal of my bands and the rings around my ankles. And he's a black smith, so I'm assuming he has a certain... Way with metals, if you will. I tried to figure out exactly how I could work with him but I suppose I must have gotten too close too soon and scared him off..." He sighed sadly as he once again glanced down at his feet. "How am I supposed to get out of this?"

Raven looked him over for a moment and leaned down to check the ring around his ankles, "I suppose we could figure out how to cut it ourselves. This one if thinner than the other one." She pressed her finger lightly to the metal before standing back up, "Your wrists will only be saved by the blacksmith though, I'm afraid."

She helped her brother over to a chair near his work station and helped him sit.

He waved her away and glanced over the counter, maneuvering himself to look at his tools. "I should have something for cutting thin metal. I've had to do it for certain "spells" before." He used air quotations and smiled a bit as she chuckled. They were both very much in on the rues being pulled under the kingdom's nose. After all, they created it.

They had kept the wool over the entire kingdom's eyes for almost three years now. The previous queen had actually died about that long ago. Of course, no one in the village knew that. The moment she had died, Raven had been working as servant or her quarters. She realized that this was a perfect time to seize power for herself. So she disguised herself as the queen, using her amazing abilities. It was quick work disposing of the body. She just covered it with a blanket and hid it in the queen's clothing trunk until night fell and she could sneak out with it.

So rule under Raven's leadership began, but she did know this was unfair for her brother, Charles. The problem was, he couldn't live with her, seeing as everyone knew of the queen's kin. Only a sister, who was deceased, and no brothers to speak of. So Raven and Charles concocted the scheme in place now. Charles would use his mind-reading to make everyone believe he was a magic-man and Raven would bring him into the castle, giving him his own tower to work and live in. Some had questioned this, seeing as the original queen had said no to all other-worldly workings, but no one voiced their opinions and they were generally too unintelligent to think too hard about something so trivial in everyday life. It did nothing to effect them. So they went about their normal lives, only stopping in with the "magic-man" when it was convenient for them. They had only recently thought about the fact that their weapons and tools could be "enchanted" to work better. Hence why Erik had never before set foot in the tower until someone asked him to have something enchanted.

"Ah! There they are!" Charles said as he saw the cutters he had been looking for. He lifted his feet off the ground and moved carefully so he could reach his ankles even though his wrists were still bound together. He cut at the piece of metal before finally the blades went through, cutting the ring and allowing him to move from the metal left. After a moment of moving his feet around and smiling, he frowned and turned his attention to the other bond, "Now how to get rid of you..."

Raven shook her head and raised her brows, "I still think its too thick. You'll have to go to a blacksmith. Maybe if you go back to the same one, he'll let you out and you can talk."

Charles smiled slightly and nodded, "Of course. I'll go after you leave then."

Raven blinked then laughed lightly, shaking her head, "Oh no. I'm staying not long. I have so much work to do... What with the situation with the kingdom next to us."

The young man raised his brows, tilting his head questioning, "Situation? With which kingdom?" He stood back up, finally able to walk right.

The blue woman sighed and seated herself in a comfy chair, "Devonia. We're on the verge of war with them and it doesn't seem like we can stop it." She put her face in her hands and slowly shook her head, "I knew taking up the queen's position would be hard. But its better than living like filth."

Charles nodded and begin picking at his remaining restraints, "Indeed. I have to say though. You've been running the kingdom very well and I'm proud of you." He looked up to smile at her.

She smiled back at him and stood up, hugging him tightly for a moment, "Thank you, Charles. Now I had better hurry off. Perhaps you should wait til tomorrow." She pointed to the window, indicating the dark sky.

Charles smiled happily and shook his head, "No. I'm sure he'll let me in. And even if he doesn't, I can make him."

Raven nodded and hugged him once more, "As long as you're sure. I love you. I'll see you later, brother." And with that, the clicking sound grew more distant with each step she took until she was gone.

The brunette man watched her go then turned back to his hands. He contemplated one more moment before reaching with both hands to grab a coat and descend down the stairs, on his way to the blacksmith.


	3. Chapter 3

Hey again! XDDD I've figured out a schedule for posting these. Every Friday or Thursday of every week or other week, I'll try to post another chapter. And I hope whoever reads this does enjoy it, despite the flaws. :L I promise. Cherik is more prominent later on.

Disclaimer: I own none of the characters~~

The trek to Erik's workshop in the dark was made less horrible by the light of the full rising moon. Charles glanced up at it as a shiver passed through him, a cold wind streaming over him like a river before dissipating. He supposed it was going to be one of those long cold nights, and he wasn't wrong.

He weaved his way in between the stone and wooden buildings of the city. The streets had been long-since deserted, everyone having already gone inside to be shielded from the cold air.

Charles looked up, trying to tug at his coat so it would cover more of him seeing as he couldn't put it on his arms. He saw a small chimney not far from where he stood and realized it was the blacksmith's workshop. He smiled to himself as he approached the door. Knocking on it softly before letting himself in, "Erik, I-"

"What are you doing here?" Erik cut him off, sword held to his throat as soon as he had crossed the threshold.

Charles blinked for a moment and raised his brows, looking up to notice a metallic helmet now snugly slipped over Erik's head. He stared for a moment before looking genuinely concerned and wide eyed.

Erik scoffed and took the sword back, setting it on the stand with the others, back in its place, "What? Surprised? You can't penetrate this helmet can you?" Erik smirked slightly at him, proud of himself for stumping the younger man. "I made it myself using some metal I had stored away with... Interesting properties. What do you think?" He walked in a circle before glancing back at Charles as he just started to get over the confusion, "Nevermind. Look. What do you want?"

Charles furrowed his brows, now realizing where he stood in this position. He knew for a fact Erik wouldn't kill him. He didn't need telepathy. He could see it in his eyes. The younger man gave a small smile, rising his hands to expose his wrists, light glinting off the metal, "Would you mind... Please helping me?"

Erik watched him for a moment and rolled his eyes, walking over to Charles and pulling his sleeves up. Without even touching them, Erik moved the rings away from each other and they became the bands he had worn previously. Charles smiled down at them and looked up, about to thank him but as soon as their eyes locked, Erik pushed him back out the door, shutting it quickly. Charles watched, stunned as a metal bar moved from the ground and twisted around the door handles, keeping the doors shut tight.

After a long pause, Charles shook his head, coming out of his stupor before knocking on the door. "Hey! Erik! Let me back in!"

"Go home, Charles." The reply was gruff and dull from inside. Charles would have none of it as he huffed and made his way around the side, noticing the back door was also shut firmly. He settled on glaring at him through a window before pacing back and forth, "I'd leave if I were you, Charles. Its going to be a VERY cold night."

Charles crossed him and glared at him through the window. "Erik let me in. I just want to talk to you."

"What could possibly want to talk to me about? Didn't I tell you to leave me alone?" Erik shot him a look from where he sat, eating out of a bowl of some kind of soup. Seeing this made Charles realize he was hungry and his stomach growled. He hadn't had dinner that night.

"As true as that is, I want to talk about your... Ability." He started pacing back and forth outside the door, sighing loudly.

Erik glared slightly at the wall between them, "Don't you think it might NOT be a good idea to talk about that in the open? Where everyone can hear you?"

"Oh relax, my friend. There's no one here to hear us. And those who are close are sleeping. You seem to forget I can read the minds of people around me. You have nothing to worry over." He smiled to himself slightly, glancing in the window as he walks by. After a moment he whimpers a bit, his stomach giving a painful growl.

"You ok?" The reply came almost too fast, Erik had stopped eating and sat up a little straighter to look out the window.

Charles sighed and sat down underneath the window, the light from inside caused a patch of color on the ground in front of him, "I'm just hungry. But I think I can tell what you'd say. 'That's too bad. Its your own fault.'" He mocked Erik's voice.

A slight shuffling sound could be heard from inside. After a long silence, Charles looked up to find the windows opening a creak and a small loaf of bread being thrown out before they snapped closed once again.

He stared at for a long time before he smiled to himself, leaving forward to pick the bread up and nibble on it, "Thank you, Erik... You have my gratitude."

The only response he got was a small "Eh" as Erik went back to his soup, blushing profusely to himself.

Erik listened to Charles nibble at the bread, having finished his own soup long ago but not wanting to get up and leave with him just out there. But after a while, he realized Charles wasn't making noise anymore. He got up and crossed the room, slowly and quietly un-"locking" the doors before leaning out, checking to see if he had gone home. But when he looked out, he saw Charles laying on the cold, hard ground. Asleep.

After a moment, Erik sighed and looked him over before wandering back inside and digging through a closet. He found a nice soft blanket and folded it carefully over his arm before making his way back to Charles with the blanket and a pillow. He tentatively picked Charles's head up, moving the pillow beneath it before setting his head back down and tucking the blanket in around, making sure he was warm before he turned and walked back inside, shutting down for the night.

Charles woke up the next morning, a slight pain in his back from having slept all night on the ground. He did notice, however, that something was different. Upon sitting up, he realized someone had put a pillow beneath his head and had also covered him with a blanket. He smiled slightly as he figured it was Erik who had done it and looked up back to the door. He frowned when he saw it was still shut tight, held together by the entwined metal. "Erik...?" He called softly, knowing by the way the sun was just beginning to cast light over the city that it must be early.

"Yes Charles? What are you still doing here?" He could hear Erik's voice from inside the now open window and stood up, looking in at him.

"Why do you want to keep me out? What have I done to upset you so?" He asked. He put his hands just below the window and stared inside, not climbing through in hopes maybe Erik will keep it open and allow them to talk.

"Just go home, Charles." Erik shook his head slowly and got up from where he had been sitting next to the anvil. He wandered around the room, making it look as though he was doing something.

Charles stared at him sadly, mumbling under his breath but loud enough for Erik to hear, "I just want to talk..."

Erik watched him for a moment, staring at the sad-eyed look he was receiving before he sighed loudly and disappeared behind the front door. Charles waited for a moment, confused, but he instantly stepped back when the metal bar that had twisted and been shaped to lock the door came undone and fell to the ground with a loud clunk.  
>He stood to his feet, brushing the dust from the previous night from his robes as he stepped forward and opened the door. As Charles entered, he smiled fondly as he felt the warmth from inside spread through him and surround him like a heated fog. Erik sat on the other side of the room at a small metal table, leaning back in his matching metal chair. Charles stared at it, never really seeing much besides wooden tables and chairs. The sight fascinated him, "Thank you. I do appreciate this..."<p>

Charles walked across the room, taking in the sight of all the tools Erik used and worked with on a daily basis. He sat carefully across from him in the other chair, gasping as he felt the cool metal beneath him through the seat of his ropes, the feeling contrasting with the heat of the room, "These are... Interesting. I don't think I've ever really seen anything like these. Did you make them your self?"

Erik watched him closes, stirring a drink lightly with a spoon before smiling and letting it go. Even though his hand had left the handle, the spoon continued to spin and stir the drink. "Of course I did. I make many things out of metal seeing as I seem to have a special... Gift for handling it."

Charles watched to spoon, mesmerized by it before smiling and turning away from it. "Like you made the helmet. How do you do it...?"

The blacksmith tapped the metal clamped around his head, smirking slightly at him, "I'm actually not sure..." As he spoke he took the spoon out of the drink and cleaned it, carefully washing the drink away with a cloth, "I just realized one day that metal could bend to my will..." He sat back down across from him and the smirk was back as he lifted a hand towards, "That's a nice earring you have..."

Charles was about to thank him but he gasped as the earring in his left ear slowly slipped out a drifted towards Erik's outstretched hand. He watched as the earring floated above Erik's hand and slowly caved in on itself, reshaping and reforming to a slender shape. After a moment, Charles realized, it was changing into a spoon and when Erik was finished, it drifted to his drink and dropped inside with a splash. Charles stared before reaching up to his ear, not believing what he had seen with his own two eyes, "That's... Incredible..."

Erik chuckled and lifted the spoon he had been using before the one he made. The spoon moved in front of Charles and caved in on itself much like the earring had, into a metal ball. After a moment, it extended and transformed into Charles's earring before dropping into Erik's hands.

Charles blinked at it for a moment before smiling and reaching out to take it. But before he could, Erik closed his hand around the metal piece and scooted closer, putting the earring back in place himself, "There."

The magic-man touched it tentatively and laughs, running his fingers lightly over it. "As I said. Simply amazing."


	4. Chapter 4

Author's Note: :3 Getting to update today~~ Yay~~

And I hate to spoil things, but this is where the Charles and Erik actual LOVE starts. xDD So yea. M/M couple. Just a warning.

Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters~~

Charles continued to visit for days and days, after he conjures a spell or enchants some item, he would always go down into town and go directly to the blacksmith to watch Erik work. They also continued to grow closer, spending time into the early hours of the night together and on.

Every day Charles saw him, Erik would have some sort of food waiting for him. Bread, candies, even meat sometimes. The younger man didn't especially eat much, not for any reason other than he just never really like eating a whole lot. He supposed it could be because of his lithe figure that his stomach was small. It also could have been because he hadn't eaten much as a peasant.

Charles refused to talk about his past. All he let on was that he had a sister. He didn't explain to him where she was, he simply said he didn't know and when Erik asked if he knew of any abilities she might have he responded with, "It could be anything. She was around not long ago but never showed any signs of anything like we have."

He didn't especially like that he had to lie to Erik. It made him feel bad. Erik had been his only friend for a long time and he didn't like the feeling of keeping secrets. He did, however, begin reminding himself to keep his mouth in check when he told the story about how he had decided to become a magic-man.

"As soon as we discovered my ability, my sister and I were as ecstatic as we were scared. But then the thought occurred to her that we could get into the castle by pretending I was a-"

Erik cut him off instantly, one brow raised as he gave him a confused look, "I thought you told me the queen personally appointed you as the new magic-man... And what do you mean WE could get into the castle."

Charles could only blink at him for a moment before he looked a bit nervously around and backtracked on his words, "Oh yes.. Of course. I simply meant my sister thought it was a good decision for me take up being used by the queen for the people... And by the we, I was just saying it because my sister disappeared before she could join me in the castle." He frowned to himself and looked down, hoping to look sad enough to fool Erik.

Said man looked skeptical for a moment before sighing slightly and looking away, "I'm sorry... I had no idea. She really surprised everyone bringing you in so forgive me for being suspicious."

Charles only gave him a small smile, "Oh of course, my friend." Then, with that crisis averted, Charles went on talking.

On another particular night, Charles watched Erik closely as he hammered away at sword. The younger man had been particularly quiet tonight. Erik didn't know if he had done something to upset him or if there was something wrong. After he finished with the sword he had been manipulating, he turned to Charles who sat at the table across from him, "Charles... What's wrong?"

Charles looked startled for a moment and raised a brow, "What ever do you mean, dear friend?"

He sighed and walked over to him, standing directly in front of Charles and crossing his arms. "Something has gotten you upset. Now tell me what the matter is? You've scarcely talked all day."

Charles watched him for a moment before sighing quietly, "Its just... That helmet... I know you like having it on when I'm around but is it even needed anymore?" He furrowed his brows up at him, giving another sad and dejected look "You know I won't look into your mind when I'm not wanted, don't you?"

Erik stared at him, more thinking then anything, before he shook his head slowly and sat down across from him at the table, "I suppose I know. Yes."

The younger man smiled a bit and furrowed his brows, reaching across the table to grip to sides of the helmet, "Then here... Let me..." Erik flinched momentarily but relaxed as Charles slowly lifted the helmet from his head and held it in front of him. He smiled wider once the helmet was off and looked back to Erik, "I promise I won't look into your mind uninvited."

Erik smiled at him fondly, a strange relief coming over him from hearing it and having the helmet off. Now that he thought about it, having Charles in his head didn't seem to be as bad of a thought as it had been a couple months ago. "I'm sorry. I'd been so used to wearing it, I had forgotten it was there."

Charles smiled back, shrugging his shoulders a bit and looking it over, "Its made of very unique metal, I see... Especially if it has the ability to keep me out."

The black-smith nodded, "Yes it is..." Erik trailed off for a moment, "... I wonder how it would effect you if you put it on..."

He looked at the older man for a moment before glancing down to the helmet, "I don't know... Let's see..." Charles slowly lifted the helmet and slid it over his head. It fit perfectly fine but when he tried to reach out with his mind, it came back in the form of a mental slap to the brain and gave him and horrendous headache. He reached up and grabbed his head, squeezing his eyes shut.

It was when he started making sounds like he was in pain that Erik quickly brought his hands up and lifted the helmet from his head. The action brought their faces closer together and Charles stared into Erik's eyes as the pain faded away. They watched one another for a long moment before they leaned closer and their lips touched together. They shut their eyes as the kiss became a bit more urgent and Charles brought his hands up to Erik's face while Erik wrapped his arms tightly around the smaller man's waist, bringing him closer. Charles squeezed his eyes shut and made his way into Erik's lap, thoroughly enjoying the feel of the larger man's mouth. He whimpered slightly when he felt Erik nibble on his lip.

After a moment they pulled back to look at each other. They both smiled for a moment before both their eyes went wide and they pushed away from each other. Charles put a hand to his head and stared at the floor, his face red, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to do that."

Erik stared at him for a moment and shook his head, "N-no. Its fine. I don't know what came over me." He looked up and they both laughed. Charles looked away after and looked almost sad. He had enjoyed the kiss so much, but he knew Erik wouldn't want to be anything other than friends.

What had he just done? Erik had just KISSED another man. And on purpose at that. What was he thinking? Things like this were forbidden and could be punished. Why had he done it? What force had possessed him to lean forward and claim those sinfully red lips. No. Even now he was thinking about him. He had to quit. It could lead to unspeakable horrors. Erik shook his head to clear it and walked back to his work, jerking his mind from those thoughts. The younger man sat back down in the awkward silence, continuing to cast his eyes downward.

As he sat, the younger man thought to himself and after the long silence looked back up at him, "What is important about the northern forest?"

Erik stood for a moment, the metal in his hands ceasing its bending as he let go and turned to Charles, "Nothing. I just lost a knife there. It was my father's..."

Charles smiled at him and stood up, approaching him once again, "Would you like me to see if I could find it? If I look at your memory, I'm sure I could see it..."

The blacksmith watched him carefully, weighing the pros and cons of having the young man close to him once again. After a few seconds though, he nodded, stepping closer to him and allowing him to press the palms of his small hands to his forehead, "I promise not to look anywhere else. I won't invade upon your mind."

Erik nodded and shut his eyes as Charles did. The mindreader sifted through all of Erik's memories, being sure not to glance at any too long until he found the one of a few weeks away when Erik had lost his knife. He watched the memory play through his head. There it was. He had dropped it in the tall grass when he had chased a fleeing boar. Charles commited the spot to his own memory before pulling back and opening his eyes to smile at him fondly, "I could go get it for you if you'd like."

Erik blinked at him and nodded slightly. As he left, the blacksmith let out a sigh of relief. He did enjoy Charles's company truly. But he was glad for the small break from him after such an awkward moment had passed between them. Erik hoped that he and Charles could just move on from it, continuing to be friends and forgetting the incident happened. With that thought in mind, he went back to bending metal around, working on the three commissions he had promised would be done by the end of the day. 


	5. Chapter 5

Author's Note: 8DD Next page up~~ Yayyyy~~ I met my own deadline. XDDD

Disclaimer: I do not own any X-Men Characters~~

Charles sneaked his way through the town, the robes weighing down on his small frame and showing exactly how lithe he was as he darted between houses and people before finally reaching the outskirts of the forest to the north of their little kingdom. He had to think to himself for a moment as he stared out at the forest, trying to remember where he had seen Erik enter in his memory. When he turned to see a very low-hanging branch near a beaten path, he immediately took that way, recognizing it from the vision taken from Erik himself.

The fallen leaves crunched under the pads of his barefeet, music to his ears. He had always loved the sound. He trailed his fingers over the bark of the trees around, taking the alone moment to think to himself as he continued on toward where he had seen Erik's knife fall.

Why had he kissed Erik? He liked him a lot, yes. Erik was the best friend he had ever had, besides Raven, of course. But it had happened on complete instinct. Neither he nor Erik seemed like they had thought the action through ahead of time. Does that mean it was true and Erik did feel something for him? Or was it a fluke and had just been an accident? The latter made Charles's stomach churn uncomfortably with sadness and what felt like anxiety.

Charles was brought from his thoughts, however, when he come upon a lush green patch of grass, trees completely surround the little field and seeming to close in on him. He smiled down at the tall grass before walking through it. A dizzying wave of deja vu over came him as he recognized a rock from the memory and stooped down on his knees to rummage through the grass around it. He felt his fingers hit a cool blade and pulled it up, looking the knife for a moment. It was older than the knives out now. It had interesting designs painted upon the handle and a few engraved into the blade itself. He looked it over, tracing his fingers lightly over it momentarily before quickly putting it in his little cinch bag. The purple one he put things he found in and always had with him.

He smiled a bit, glancing around the large green field, the tall grass swaying lightly in the breeze and a few birds sat on a rock a little ways away. He sighed happily, feeling completely relaxed in the tranquil place. But after a moment he looked confused and began to glance around. He had heard voices. They were coming from the trees around.

Charles quickly pinpointed the sound and shuffled out of sight, ducking down behind a tree and glancing around.

Then he heard them again.

"You're sure this is a good idea?"

"Of course. If this plays out the way we want it to, we could have complete control over this kingdom. The king would be proud."

"Ok. Alright." The second voice sounded slightly nervous.

A sound of rustling grass nearby caused Charles to duck down further behind the tree, shielding himself from sight as he saw a man in the silver colored clothing of his kingdom run up and join the other men in the woods, "The queen needs me back at the castle so I'll have to hurry. Are you ready for the attack?"

"We've been ready for a while. What does your queen think?"

"She knows the war is coming, but she has no idea when." There was a snicker. "She believes she has the power to stop any war from breaking out between our kingdoms."

"Won't she be surprised? You better get back to her. We'll come in tomorrow around when the sun is highest."

"We'll be ready. Landcastria will fall within an instant against your forces, general."

Charles brought a hand to his mouth and nuzzled down into the grass, trying not to draw attention to himself. He could believe this. They were plotting to take over Raven's kingdom. He had to hurry and tell her. But he couldn't go yet. He had to wait until he could get away safely without getting caught.

He held his breath when the men behind him, on ther other side of the tree and not an arm's length away, got quiet. Fearing that they could hear his breath escape his lips. But as they began to talk again, silently thanked God for keeping their attention away from him.

Few word were exchanged after that and the man from before ran away again, back towards the palace and across the wide field. Only until he heard the two others' footsteps and talking in the distance did he let out a long breath of relief and stood up, his legs slightly shaking from his nerves. What would he tell Raven? He didn't even know who the traitor had been. He shook his head and took off running back towards his kingdom, bent on getting back to Erik and calling his sister in.

He ran as fast as his legs would take him back through the forest, only slowing down once he was in seeing-eye distance of the city. There, he stopped and looked around, hoping to see any glance of the man that he had seen plotting against his sister. He was already gone. Charles let out a desperate sigh and started in the direction of Erik's shop. He'd give him the nice and hurry to send word to his sister via bird. He knew even though he was a noble of sorts in the castle's view, if she was busy there would be no way he could get to her. Besides, a bird could fly faster than he could run anyday.

As soon as he came back to the blacksmith's shop, he stopped and calmed himself, trying to give off a casual mood in place of a panicked one.  
>He entered the front room to find Erik working with what looked like an almost completed axe. Charles smiled as he approached him, looking as nonchalant as possible and standing on the side of the anvil opposite him, "I found it."<p>

Erik glanced up at him and smiled a little, "Did you? May I have it back?"

Charles laughed and smiled wider at him. He didn't have to pretend, being around Erik made him feel so... Happy, "But of course, my friend." He dug around inside the pouch and pulled out the peculiar-looking knife. As soon as it was out he looked up to see Erik smiling wider. Charles had seen the smile before but had never really LOOK at it. He realized the way his lips curled up at his teeth shone that he looked similar to a shark. He shook his head and smiled at the thought as he handed the knife to him, "There you are."

Erik took the knife and looked it over, "He found this when this land was first taken over. He always told me if belonged to an advanced native person... Perhaps he meant they were like us..." Erik looked back up to him.

Charles looked interested for a moment before he shook his head, "Perhaps so. I'm so sorry, Erik, I have to go." He rushed around the room for a moment, looking for anything he had brought with him.

The older man furrowed his brows and watched him move around the room, "So fast? Has something happened?"

"Oh umm.. No. I just.." Charles made his way to the door, his sentence breaking as he moved, "I have... To meet my sister." And with those final words, he was gone, leaving Erik to stand there, very confused.

"But... You don't know where your sister is..." He mumbled, eyes narrowing suspiciously. Something wasn't right here. And he was going to find out what. 


	6. Chapter 6

Author's Note: XDD Hey again, guys. Just a heads up, I might not be able to make the deadline for the update next week. I've been pretty swamped with driving. But by no means am I going to quit this story. XDDDD!

Charles walked back and forth in the top room of his tower, waiting for his sister to get here as she had said she would do. He looked outside to see the earth-baking sun was almost completely covered by distant trees. He sighed a bit. She could be there any minute. He didn't know how he was going to tell her someone from her own kingdom was plotting against her. Slightly ironic since before she took over in the queen's place she served her.

He tapped his fingers against the stone rim of the window, frowning deeply as he waited. And even though he was expecting it, he still jumped at the sound of the door at the bottom of the tower opening. He waited patiently but something felt off. There was no click-clack of heels like normal. He shut his eyes and did a quick sweep of the tower before his eyes widened in realization. It was his sister coming up the stairs, it was Erik.

Charles flung the door leading to the spiraling steps and rushes down them to meet Erik, "What are you doing here?"

Erik narrowed his eyes at him, surprising Charles slightly, "I came to see what you were up to. Your stories don't make sense. I thought you did know where your sister was."

As Charles listened to Erik talk, his first reaction was to wipe his mind of the incident and replace it with a fake one of them enjoying the end of the day together, starting after Charles came back with the knife. But he didn't want to. He didn't want to take advantage of his friend in such a way. He had done it before, not for the same reason obviously, and it had been so easy then. All he found himself wanting to tell Erik was...

"The truth."

Erik blinked in surprise and narrowed his eyes until they were only slits on his face, "I beg your pardon?"

Charles took a deep breath, calming himself before speaking again and taking Erik's hand, "The truth. You want to know the truth."

The blacksmith looked down at their hands for a moment before looking back up at him. Charles could swear he saw the briefest flash of hurt in his stormy grey eyes, "Then you have been lying to me... What about? I want to know all of it."

Charles slowly nodded his head and gripped his hand tighter, leading him up the stairs slowly, "Alright. First though. Allow me to apologize for lying to you." He looked back at him with his brows furrowed, "Would it help any if I told you I didn't lie to you a lot? I only lied once..."

Erik rolled his eyes slightly as they walked and Charles noticed that his grip on his hand tightened by that much, "I wish you hadn't done it at all.. I trusted you, Charles..."

The smaller man sighed sadly, feeling the guilt already setting heavy on his shoulders like a huge sack of sand, "I know... I'm sorry my friend... But I suppose now is as a good a time as ever..."

Charles sat Erik down in the top of the tower, leaving him to sit as he walked over and shut the door leading the to the stone stairway, "The only thing I lied about was my sister..." He slowly made his way back to sit, looking away slightly under Erik's intensely observant and demeaning eye, "I do know where she is... And she is like us..."

Erik raised his brows for a moment, "Why did you lie about that of all things, Charles?"

The magicman lowered his head slightly and sighed before looking but up at him, "It was supposed to be a secret... My sister Raven... Is the queen."

Erik stared at him for a long time, raising a brow slowly, "But... The Queen has no siblings... She does?" The news surprised him and confused him.

He was even more confused when Charles shook his head, "No. The real queen has been dead for a long time... That is Raven's gift. She may turn into anyone she wants. So two years ago when the queen died, she got rid of the body and took her place."

Erik widened his eyes slightly and looked Charles over. How could this small and innocent being be part of such a horrible plot, "... This isn't a joke... Is it?" The question was almost a statement.

Charles winced and shook his head slowly, "No. She took the queen's place and then appointed me as the royal magic-man..."

The older man looked away for a moment, taking in the information. When he really thought about, as gruesome as it was, he had to admit it was a well-thought out plan of getting what they both wanted and he had to admire that, "You didn't kill her then?"

Charles shook his head rapidly, "Oh! No no no. Neither of us did. She died on her own."

Then it wasn't really a plot. More of taking advantage of a situation, "That makes it slightly better then... I didn't notice much of a change around then though."

Charles smiled a bit, "Raven agreed that if anything would be changed, it would happen slowly, aside from me moving in, to avoid suspicion."

Whatever Erik had been about to say was cut off by the suddenly loud clack of shoes on the stone floor just outside the door and the creak of the wooden structure as it was opened, "Charles? I got your... Oh hello." It was Raven. She stood at the door, looking exactly like the queen. She flushed slightly from embarrassment but cleared her throat and immediately took on a "queenly" tone. "I am sorry, good sir. But I must confer with my magic-man in private for a moment."

Charles shook his head for a moment, "Raven, you can quit acting. He knows everything."

Any elegance the woman may have had quickly dropped away as she widened her eyes and her jaw almost hit the floor, "Charles, you told him? This stranger? How could you?"

"He isn't a stranger, Raven. He's a friend. Erik, this is Raven, my sister. Raven, this is Erik." He looked desperately at her. "Raven... He's just like us..."

Raven raised her brows for a moment but looked Erik over suspiciously, "Oh really? How so?"

Charles nodded to him, "You may show her, my friend."

Erik looked back at him and nodded, looking around the room before focusing on a metal holder on the wall, meant to hold torches in place. After a moment, it bends to his will and reshapes, forming into a ball and leaving the wall before he pushes it back in and shapes it to normal. Raven stared at the wall, incredibly astonished, "That's... Amazing..."

Erik gave her a smile and turned to her, all his attention away from Charles and switched to her, "Charles tells me you have an ability also. Could I see it?"

Raven looked back at him and watched him for a moment before furrowing her brows, "Oh... I suppose." She turned to him, eyes cast down slightly as her skin changed to its original color and her hair went from a very blonde to a deep red, "This.. Is my original form." She frowned slightly, watching the startled expression on Erik's face before she changed her skin once more, turning into Charles, then Erik himself, before turning back into the queen, all within the same few seconds.

The blacksmith look fascinated and gave her a wide smile, taking in her features once ago. "Go to your normal form..."

Raven thought for a moment but nodded and the her outfit and face changed, although her skin and blonde hair still remained. This was the disguise she had used when she was a servant.

But Erik wasn't satisfied, "No no. Your real normal form."

Raven looked confused for a moment but raised her brows and looked away, going back to her blue skin and red hair, standing before him with nothing hidden from the naked eye.

Erik's eyes trailed over her for a moment before a smile spread across his lips, "Absolutely beautiful..."

For some strange reason, at that very moment in time, Charles was filled with such a horrible anger towards his sister that it startled him at first. He shouldn't have these feelings. He loved his sister. But seeing Erik's eyes linger over her and him whisper husky appraises caused him to feel absolutely livid with... Jealousy?

Raven looked up slightly and gave him a smile. If she could have blushed she would have, "Oh.. No..." She frowned slightly, looking over herself, "I'm quite hideous..."

Erik raised his brows and looked appalled, "No no! Your skin is remarkable... You look absolutely stunning."

Charles frowned intensely as he watched them but the jealousy was forgotten when he remembered what he had called her in for, "Raven! I must tell you! I was in the northern forest this morning and I overheard two people talking... Its not good." He furrowed his brows as he stood, taking her arms carefully in his hands, "It was one of your servants and two people from Devonia... They were plotting against you..." He looked distraught and sighed, "I don't know much... But I do know whatever they're doing will happen tomorrow."

She stared at him with wide eyes for a moment before frowning and looking around nervously, "What? Why would they want to do away with me? Have I not been a fair leader?"

Erik stood up immediately and joined them, "I do not think it is your fault by any means. Perhaps they've been promised something. Greed does rule the world."

She nodded her head for a moment before smiling at him, "Thank you. And luckily, there is a plan for such things as these. So I'm afraid I have to rush off and leave you both." She was talking more to Erik than Charles, "But I most go put this plan to a stop before it gets too far." She nodded firmly before trotting off towards the stairs, changing back into the queen as she went.

Erik stared after her and smiled slightly, relieved that this matter was already being taken care of, "Your sister is incredible, Charles..."

Charles frown again, the tension of his message lifted but now a whole new weight rested on his shoulders as he walked away from him and sat down, glaring off into space.

Erik was slightly surprised by Charles's silence and turned back to him, brows raised, "Charles? What's the matter?"

He frowned slightly and looked away from him, "Its getting late. You should leave."

This completely took Erik by surprise. Why did Charles want him away so suddenly? "What's wrong? Have I upset you?" He stepped closer, pulling a chair up to sit down across from him.

Charles looked away from him for a moment before actually speaking again. But when he spoke it was only a faint mumble Erik couldn't hear.

"What was that, Charles?" He raised his brows at him, watching him carefully and leaning closer to him to catch the words.

Charles mumbled once again but this time, Erik was close enough to hear him, "You called her beautiful... Am I not?"

Erik laughs hearing him, "Well no. You're a man." He continues to laugh until he looks back and sees the hurt on his face, "Wait... You're serious? Why do you want me to call you beautiful? Isn't that a little... Odd?" He raised a brow at him.

The look Charles gave him could only be described as a look of a mix between hurt and condescension, "Why is that odd?" The mix of emotion almost made him look offended.

Erik raised his brows, "Well... We are both men. Wouldn't it be a bit awkward for me to call you beautiful?"

Charles looked away from him slightly, mumbling again, "I'm not oppressed by the public eye, Erik. I'm not that worried about how I appear to them. Us who are gifted tend to have a higher thinking ability than regular people. I like what I like and no one will tell me otherwise." He held his head high for the moment, looking very dignified.

The older man took a moment to consider this. Charles had a point. He knew for a fact his level of thinking was significantly higher than most people on the planet. He was fairly certain he had surpassed Erik himself in brain-power by the time he was entering adolescence. He supposed that Charles had been right in the fact that society really didn't matter. He hadn't really minded what the kingdom thought of him but he guessed since he had never really spent quality time around other men, the thought of being interested in them hadn't crossed his mind. After a short pause, Erik smiled at him slightly, his sharp incisors peaking out, "In that case.. You are beautiful..."

The dignified look was swiftly wiped from Charles's face as he blushed deeply and blinked at him, "O-oh... You think so?" He smiled, having completely forgotten that he had been mad at Erik only a moment ago.

Erik smiled at him a bit more, "I do. I'm sorry if I offended you any by only voicing thoughts of beauty towards your sister." He looked Charles over for a moment and chuckled as he realized everything coming from his lips was 100% truth. He wondered if maybe this realization of the possibility that he might like men as well would change there relationship. What surprised him the most was that the more he thought about it, the more wanted his relationship to expand with Charles. He wanted to be more to him than just a regular friend.

Charles grinned widely at him at him and the action scrunched up his eyes, "You're sweet, Erik... Would you like to stay the night here?"

He raised his brows for a moment and glanced around before smiling and leaning away from him, holding out his hand for Charles to take, "I'd love to."

And so Charles led him downstairs to his bedroom, setting up a place for himself to sleep but immediately abandoning it when Erik insisted he would not steal Charles's bed from him and lay together until they both fell into a comfortable and happy sleep. 


	7. Chapter 7

Erik woke up the next morning very happy and warm. Light beams from outside a nearby window streaming across his face brought him to full awareness and he reached across the bed to feel for the small brunette he knew was sleeping there. But to his surprise and disappointment, said brunette was nowhere to be found.

He sat up and looked around the room almost in a panic before he heard humming echoing off the walls and coming from an open door to his left. He got up and made his way over, looking in the room to see a big pot for cooking and there sat his brunette, cooking some fresh eggs over a fire. The sight made him smile, watching Charles hum to himself as he prepared their breakfast. The thought occurred to him that he could get used to it. Despite the fact that getting to sleep took him a little longer than Charles the previous night, it had given him time to himself to think.

While laying next to the silent sleeping form of Charles Xavier, Erik thought back to the words he had said to him before: "You called her beautiful, am I not?" "I'm not oppressed by the public eye, Erik." "Us who are gifted tend to have a higher thinking ability than regular people." The phrases kept buzzing around in his head like angry bees and he couldn't understand why. Then the thought crossed him for the second time that night. Maybe he did want his relationship with Charles to excel. He admired him in all the ways he could admire any woman and Charles met all his tastes perfectly and even beyond that. He was as bright as they come intelligence-wise, despite their dispute from last night, he was truly, in a sense, beautiful, and he was by far the most generous and nice person, that still had a level head, that Erik had ever seen. He had smiled and curled up around the smaller man in his sleep, wanting the warmth of this magnificent person so close to him they were almost one body.

"You've nearly slept the day away my friend." He heard a voice say to him and he immediately came back to the present and blinked as he realized Charles was staring into his face.

"I beg pardon? I'm sorry... I wasn't listening." He smiled to himself as Charles laughed happily and turned fully to him.

"You've very nearly slept the day away. You missed the traitor being caught and taken away before they could do a thing. So the troops that were being sent, without guidance, were forced to fall back. It was quite a sight."

Erik blinked at him and chuckled lightly, coming over to stand beside him, "Well. How could I sleep through that?"

Charles smiled widely at him and sighed happily as he looks down at his eggs, "I'm just glad that whole affair is over for now. Now I can wait and worry when they retaliate. But I believe Raven is prepared for that." He looks back up at him. "So I won't worry until its necessary."

Erik smiled down at him and stared into the smaller man's eyes for a moment. He didn't know what drew him to do it or what he had been thinking but one second he had been watching him and the next their lips were pressed firmly together in a loving kiss.

Charles was startled for a moment, almost dropping the eggs into the blazing fire below then, before regaining his composure and closing his eyes and leaning back against him, setting the eggs down on the table near the pot and wrapping his arms tightly around his shoulders. They kissed for what seemed like forever before Charles finally had to pull back and breath. He looked up at him and blinked slightly, speaking softly with a smile, "So I'm hoping your over your worries about the public eye spying on us..."

Erik chuckled and kissed over his face, his cheeks, nose, then lips before leaning back to smile at him, "Yes. I'm no longer worried... I just need you with me. I've never met anyone like you, Charles... You're just.. Incredible..."

Charles gave him a cute smile and stood on his tiptoes to rub their noses together, speaking softly into his head instead of speaking aloud, "I know..."

The older man smiled widely at the action and held him a little longer before pulling back and looking sadly down at him, "But I'm so sorry, my darling... I have to leave to go to work... I've the shop unattended for more time then I intended and I should get back..."

The brunette pouted slightly up at him but smiled after a moment and motioned to the food, "At least stay and eat with me..."

Erik smiled his toothy smile, sharp incisors gleaming, and nodded to him, "Of course I will..."

Charles separated out the eggs between two plates and they ate in comfortable silence before one started the conversation and words began tumbling out just like that. It only took a few short sentences before the two were engrossed in enjoyable conversation, both laughing or playing fully glaring at the other as they agreed or disagreed with each other.

Erik glanced out the window while Charles talked about some ritual he had learned long ago that was completely ridiculous and frowned slightly, "I have to go... I'm very sorry."

Charles blinked at him then shrugged, standing up to take his plate for him and set it aside, "That's fine. I understand your need to work."

The taller man smiled down at him and leaned forward, pressing a light kiss to his lips that Charles immediately accepted and returned with full force. Erik whispered against his lips, "Come by and see me today..." And Charles nodded in agreement, saying he would.

He waved Erik off as he left through the wooden door at the bottom of the stone tower, silently hoping that they would be able to spend another night together soon. He walked back up the spiral stairs and into the room he used for all of his business and working. He sat down and began to read through a book but not 20 minutes into it, he heard the sound of Raven approaching up the stairs and smiled to himself. It occurred to him that the timing was impeccable. He set the book aside and stood, opening the door to the stairs and waiting for her.

She came up the stairs and entered with a frown on her red lips, her brow furrowed with worry, "Hello again, Charles... We seem to have a problem..."

Charles immediately looked over to her, looking extremely worried,"What kind of problem?"

She wrung her small, pale hands together, walking back and forth in the middle of the room, "I don't know how he did it, but the traitor escaped... We kept guards on him but they don't remember a thing. We think they fell asleep but that isn't right, they were some of the best guards we have." She looked up at him, her expression more distressed than before, "What if he's like you...? What if he can see into people's mind and make them do things...?"

The thought made Charles visibly pale. They'd never made contact with anyone similar to them aside from Erik and he had been incredible to him thus far. But meeting Erik had brought up the point that there could be more of them. Would the others be like them? How many WOULD be malicious and ruthless? "I'll keep an eye out for him... What's his name?" Charles furrowed his brows at her.

"His name is Sebastian Shaw. He's been in jail before too. He murdered someone a long time ago. I saw it in the records." She rubbed her eyes for a moment.

Charles watched her then shook his head slowly and wrapped his arms around her shoulders, "Listen. I'll keep a lookout for him and if I find him, I'll tell you. In the meantime, you need to go rest. Go back to your room, station your guards and go sleep. You look so tired."

She nodded and held onto him for a moment, "I am tired... You're right. Thank you." She moved to kiss him gently on the cheek before pulling away and messing with his hair, "Stay safe I love you." She gave him a small smile and another kiss before heading back down the stairs. As she left, he glanced to the window and sighed. He'd have to go warn Erik to keep a look out. He made a quick once over of his tower room before heading out the door and scurrying into town. 


	8. Chapter 8

Author's Note: Hey guys. So sorry I sorta ditched you all. =A= I just got hit with a shit ton of stuff and once. XDD But I've finally finished this chapter, so here you go~~ Enjoy~~ 

Charles's feet scuffled against the dirt road as he made his way quickly to Erik's shop. He had worried his lip the entire way and had to stop himself before he broke the skin. This entire "Escaped Murderous Traitor" thing already had him on edge and now there was a possibility that this person had a special ability? Erik needed to know so he could watch out.

It didn't help his nerves when he came to the shop and realized it was closed. He frowned and made his way to the window, looking into the stone building. The fireplace was lit and candles burned bright light into the room so someone had to be home. He skirted along the side of the building to the back door where he frequently entered the establishment through. Noticing it was unbarred, he quickly opened the door and walked inside, "Erik? Erik where are you?" He wandered around in the heated room, the fire casting an almost red glow with the only light coming in being the square of sunlight on the floor from the window.

Just as he had made his way around to the anvil and ghosted his fingers over the top, hands came out of nowhere and gripped his hips tightly, wrenching them back so he fell forward across the anvil, "I've been waiting for you..."

Suddenly, the terror he had felt a moment ago completely vanished when light kisses were pressed to the back his head and down the back of his throat. He knew who this was and recognized the voice, "Erik?"

"Hello, Charles..." He whispered against his shoulder, his hands moving down the hips then to the thighs, "I've missed you... I've been thinking a lot about what you said before." He pressed light kisses to his shoulders, massaging his hips.

Charles sighed happily, enjoying the feeling and crossing his arms across the cold metal he was half-laying on, "Have you...? I'm glad..." He hummed to himself and smiled lightly but his eyes flew up open again as he felt something hard against the back of his thighs.

Erik chuckled behind him and continued massaging his hips a little more roughly as he moved his hips to Charles's backside then away, "I want you, Charles... You're perfect..."

The brunette couldn't stop the small whimper that broke from the back of his throat as he felt a hand move up his thigh to caress his ass. He gasped lightly at the feeling, letting a smile as he became accustomed to the feeling accompanied by the kisses to his back.

Erik reached back down and pulled up on the robe again, bringing it up higher and touching the skin of the thin, pale legs beneath. He smirked to himself as he pushed it further up his back. He let go of him and chuckled deeply when Charles didn't sit up and moaned as Erik began digging his fingers into the plane of flesh on his back. He felt the body beneath him shiver as he as Erik leaned forward and drug his lips over the skin.

As Erik began pushing the undergarments down Charles's legs, one hand reached around him and wrapped the long fingers tightly around the brunette's now hard cock, causing a gasp and a moan, louder, as his face flushed with color.

Even as he writhed and groaned in pleasure, something kept nagging at the smaller man, "I-Isn't thi- Ah~! A b-bit fast...?"

The older man chuckled once again against his back, "Absolutely not... If I'm going to love you, it will be in every way possible..." As he spoke the words, the hand not wrapped around hard flesh trailed up his chest to pinch and tweak his nipples, causing a gasp to be ripped from his throat.

"O-Ohh..." Charles half moaned. He was so overwhelmed by pleasure he didn't even think to object. But as the feeling became a constant and his body grew used to the stimulation, he tried to form coherent words of protest. These were cut off my the fingers that had left his chest, slithering into his mouth and moving around his tongue.

"Suck..." Erik's voice breathed deeply into his ear, the smirk heard in his voice.

Charles shuddered and closed his mouth around the intruding appendages, the feeling of ecstasy washing over him again as he ran his slimy tongue over the digits, coating them for the part that he wasn't even thinking about at the moment.

Erik's breath was labored as he watched the fingers disappear then reappear wet. He licked his lips and shivered in anticipation. He finally pulled the fingers back out, watching, in a trance, as the strand between his fingers and those luscious lips stretched then broke.

He brought the slick fingers back to his entrance, circling one finger around the hole before pushing it in. Charles cried out in shock but the hand wrapped around him moved up, pressing the thumb into his slit and squeezing his head so he moaned loudly.

The taller man leaned down behind him and whispered in his ear, grazing his teeth across the skin at the shell, "That's a good boy..." He moved the finger in deeper until it was in to the last knuckle and he began to thrust it in and out, causing tremors and small mewls of pleasure in the younger brunette.

Just as Charles begin pushing back again the finger, he gasped and lifted his head slightly only to have it pushed back down. Erik had pushed another finger in, stretching the hole already wider than it should have been. The smaller man whimpered slightly at the feeling. It felt almost wrong. But at the same time he wanted nothing more than to feel the man's full girth deep inside him. He squirmed but was held still by the hand on his head, the long fingers of the hand gripping his hair.

Erik added one last finger, causing Charles to cry out loudly as the intrusion was almost too much but he endured as Erik worked the fingers in and out, preparing him for what he quietly assured would be the best part. Charles took a deep breath and allowed himself to be invaded, silently breathing and waiting until something was hit inside him that almost made him cum at that instant. He moaned loudly and arched his back in a delectable way, making Erik watch in fascination. What had he done to get that reaction? He felt around inside the brunette and found the spot again that caused the younger male to jump and shiver in pleasure. Then Erik realized what must have happened and smirked slightly to himself. He found his prostate.

Erik couldn't stand it anymore. The beautiful sight in front of him was too much to handle. He could feel his cock straining as he stared down at the angel, laid out and displayed only for him. He worked his own trousers off, his dick hard and pulsing as he pushed it against Charles's entrance, "Stay calm, my dear..." He pushed the head inside him, causing the smaller man beneath him to jerk and choke slightly, shaking his head feverishly.

The taller man shushed him quietly but groaned at the feel, being inside him even this much had his head spinning with pleasure, "Oh God, Charles..." He took a shaking breath, leaning down to place light kisses over his spinal cord to sooth him.

Charles shuddered beneath him as Erik moved his hips around to help him get comfortable. After taking a deep breath and allowing himself to adjust, the rejection and denials from Charles fled away and he wiggled slightly backwards, trying to get more of Erik inside him. "Please, Erik..."

Erik immediately complied, pushing himself further into the heated cavern inch by each. He tried to slow his labored breathing, keeping himself in check so he didn't suddenly begin hammering away at Charles's insides like he desperately wanted to.

Eventually, Erik had himself buried all the way inside the smaller man, the younger of the two whining in the back of throat, apparently trying to make words that weren't quite understandable as he moved back again Erik to push him deeper.

The sight caused Erik to chuckled, he leaned down fully, the heated skin of his chest almost caressing the paleness of Charles's back. "What was that, liebling?"

Charles gasped a bit. He had never heard the word before. And with Erik so close and mumbling a word he didn't understand in his ear, he could have cum then. But he takes another shaking breath and rocks back against, "Oh please, fuck me..."

The last restraints Erik had broke as he pulled out of the small body below him and thrusted back in, a bit clumsy at first. Its been awhile since he's done this. But after a few more thrusts and Charles's encouraging word, he got a rhythm going they could both keep up with. Their sweating bodies rutting against each other as they both began to raise high in euphoric bliss. It took a little longer for Charles to share in the experience, seeing as he had never felt this way himself. It made something stir deep in his stomach, edging along the good feelings, the thought that Erik will be the first (and hopefully only) man to ever enter him all the way. His muscles tensed slightly around Erik in pleasure and the older man grunted at the tightness.

"God, Charles... You're so tight..." He took a deep breath and worked himself up to move faster inside him, the tightness no longer a bother and more of an additional pleasure as he jerks his hips harder and moves deeper within him.

Charles reached up toward the opposite end of the anvil he was currently laying on, his long fingers curling along the edge of the metal object to anchor him in place as he moved back against Erik with the same force. "Oh, it f-feels so good... B-Better than I could have imagined..."

Just as the words came out of his mouth, Erik jerked forward inside him, changing the angle and making Charles scream loudly. The scream slowly morphed in a moan and Erik groaned along with him. He smirked slightly as he moved back and hit the spot again, "You like that, liebling?"

"Oh yes! Yes, Erik! Harder!" Charles screeched back at him, shutting his eyes and letting his head drop forward as he was pounded into from behind, his forehead resting against the cold metal of the anvil. He looked up a bit in surprise when he felt the cold substance below him move upwards like liquid and wrap around his wrists, anchoring them to the now hardened again metal.

Erik gripped Charles's hips with enough for to bruise as he moved in and out of the mind-reader. Charles grit his teeth, the wonderful feeling stirring in his stomach washing over him and all of a sudden he moans loudly, the sensation too much to handle as he cums on the anvil in front him, pushing back to get Erik deeper inside him for the last few moments as his orgasm causes him to make so many wanton sounds, Erik loses track.

The noises Charles made as his sweet spot was targeted throughout his orgasm pushed Erik closer to the edge until he gave a final hard thrust into the brunette and yelled as loudly as he could, his gargled sound slowly turning in Charles sweet name. He released his seed in the man beneath, enjoying the loud whine that was emitted from his throat as he was filled with the taller man's fluid.

Erik held him for a moment, both panting hard. He leaned down to Charles ear, staying inside him as he starts to soften and he murmurs lowly in his ear, speaking in that foreign language once again.

Charles listened closely, even though he had no idea what he was saying, smiling and shivering at the feel of Erik's lips on his ear, "What is that...?" He speaks in a soft voice, looking up when the metal around his wrists because like liquid again and slips from his wrists.

The older man hesitates for a moment before speaking to him again, "Its my native language, Liebling... I am not from here. I lived with my aunt after my parents died... And she moved here and raised me until I was old enough to learn a trade. That's when I figured out I could work so well with metal."

Charles raises his brows for a moment, the sudden rush of information bringing him down from his high. Erik pulled out of him slowly the twisted him around and lifted him to sit on the anvil. Charles let him but hissed slightly as his bare skin came into contact with the cold metal. Erik furrowed his brows, "What's wrong?"

The younger man chuckled slightly, shaking his head and holding him close, pulling Erik to stand between his legs, "Nothing. Just cold." His face then turned solemn, "I'm terribly sorry about your parents, my friend... How did they die...?"

Erik seemed to hesitate for a moment then sighed a bit, he had never opened up this much to anyone he had ever known. But it seemed to him that Charles could open him up like a book.

"My father was taken away from us... He gave me the knife you saved for me before he was gone. My mother was murdered..." He furrows his brows as he watches him.

Charles looked completely shocked, "By who? Do you know?"

Erik shook his head and frowned deeply, "No. But I've had his image burned into my mind since I was a child and if I ever see his face again, I'll kill him." His face took on a horrifying look of pure rage and hate.

The smaller man seemed to shrink away for a moment but then furrows his brows and sits straight again, "How are you so sure that will satisfy you...? I understand your hate towards the man but you would really kill him thinking it would avenge your mother?"

Erik turned the look of hatred on Charles, not liking what he'd said, "Not satisfy me? Seeing the blood of the man who killed my mother spilled by my hand? Are you stupid?"

Charles simply narrowed his eyes at him, "I am not stupid. I'm quite intelligent actually. But I believe simply killing him is not the answer to your problems. Will killing him bring your mother back?" When Erik didn't answer, Charles prompted with an angry, "Well?"

The scowl on Erik's face softened slightly and he looked away, "No. It won't but it will bring me peace of mind knowing he won't be able to hurt anyone else."

Charles's shoulders slouched and he touched Erik's face lightly, holding the man's face in his hands, "Killing him will not bring you peace, my friend."

Erik shook his head but pulled Charles close to him and held him tightly, whispering in his ear, "Then you have a better resolve than I, Liebling..."

As Charles hugged him back and they held each other, neither were aware of the black figure looming outside their window as he smirked to himself at the sight and slinked off into the distance.


End file.
